The following diet plan is based on an average energy consumption of approximately 6300KJ or 1500calories a day. It incorporates five serves of veggies, two serves of fruit and the occasional treat and is low in GI carbohydrates and saturated fat and high in fibre. Better still, you get to eat on this diet.
It will help you achieve a slow, steady sustainable weight loss while improving bowel function.
Feel how much more energy you have. Watch how your skin improves. Observe your nails becoming stronger and your hair starting to shine. You should even notice how much easier it is to concentrate.
And most importantly, you'll feel better about yourself and others around you.
Weights and measures are specified but should be used as a guide. Follow them particularly when they refer to carbohydrates, fats and treats.
A speedy metabolism requires exercise and regular food consumption, so people only needing to lose a small amount of weight will have to increase the volume and intensity of physical activity and cut out those little extras listed in the plan — ie. chocolate, cappuccinos and spicy fruit biscuits.
Diet advice for the day
There's an old Scottish saying, "Every little makes a muckle", which basically means that the little things add up. It's referring of course to money, but could equally refer to weight gain or loss. All those little extras add up.
Think about 'saving' whenever you're tempted to eat an extra biscuit, use another tablespoon of oil on your salad or break another tiny piece of chocolate off the bar.
1kg fat is the equivalent to approx 32,000kj of energy, and that's a lot of food to save over two weeks. If you create a debit of 32,000kj over your BMR you'll be 1kg less and going strong.
Weekly diet plan
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday
Monday
On waking: 300ml water
Before breakfast: 300ml hot water with juice of ½ lemon
Breakfast: 1 cup button mushrooms cooked in 1 teaspoon olive oil, half cup baked beans and 1 slice toasted grain bread; mug of tea, skim milk, no sugar
½ hour after breakfast: 600ml water
Lunch: 1 medium grilled chicken breast, 1 cup shredded lettuce, half grapefruit sliced, half cup steamed green bean, dressed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, half teaspoon white wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander
½ hour after lunch: 500ml water
Snack: 1 sliced red apple
½ hour after snack: 300ml water
Dinner: two grilled thin beef sausages, half cup steamed broccoli, 1 small piece dry baked sweet potato (60g)
Half row dark chocolate
Tuesday
On waking: 300ml water
Before breakfast: 300ml hot water with juice of ½ lemon
Breakfast: half cup low sugar untoasted muesli, 4 prunes, 1 cup whole strawberries, 4 tablespoons natural fat-free yogurt, 1 teaspoon honey; mug of tea, skim milk, no sugar
½ hour after breakfast: 600ml water
Lunch: sandwich with 2 slices wholegrain bead, 3 slices avocado, small serve tuna, grated carrot, beetroot, snow pea sprouts, tomato and lettuce; 1 cappuccino
½ hour after lunch: 500ml water
Snack: 1 red apple and cup of green tea
½ hour after snack: 300ml water
Dinner: 3 grilled lamb cutlets (fat trimmed), wild rice salad made from half cup cooked wild rice*, 1 tablespoon canned kidney beans, steamed green beans, steamed carrot, chopped fresh mint, 1 teaspoon currants, 10 chopped almonds, with a dressing made with 3 teaspoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 spicy fruit roll biscuits and 1 cup herbal tea
(*cook extra rice to use for lunch the next day)
Wednesday
On waking: 300ml water
Before breakfast: 300ml hot water with juice of ½ lemon
Breakfast: two slices grain bread toasted with 2 teaspoons tahini spread and 1 sliced tomato; 4 prunes, one sliced ruby red grapefruit and three tablespoons low-fat natural yoghurt; mug of tea, skim milk, no sugar
½ hour after breakfast: 600ml water
Lunch: half red capsicum baked, stuffed with one small can red salmon in brine, half cup cooked wild rice, quarter cup corn kernels, 1 teaspoon capers and chopped coriander
½ hour after lunch: 500ml water
Snack: 1 red apple; 10 roasted (unsalted) cashews
½ hour after snack: 300ml water
Dinner: 2 grilled beef patties made with onion and premium minced beef (150g), half cup pasta sauce with chili and half cup kidney beans with green salad and grated carrot
1 piece licorice (15cm long)
Thursday
On waking: 300ml water
Before breakfast: 300ml hot water with juice of ½ lemon
Breakfast: half cup untoasted muesli, half cup mixed berries and half cup low-fat natural yoghurt; mug of tea, skim milk, no sugar
½ hour after breakfast: 600ml water
Lunch: 1 small wholemeal pita pocket, 1 teaspoon humus, 3 falafel patties, tabouleh, 3 slices avocado, lettuce and tomato; 1 red apple
½ hour after lunch: 500ml water
Snack: 1 skim milk cappuccino; 1 sweet oatmeal biscuit
½ hour after snack: 300ml water
Dinner: two-egg omelette made with spinach and 30g feta cheese, 1 cup green salad and vinaigrette
Three pieces dark chocolate
Friday
On waking: 300ml water
Before breakfast: 300ml hot water with juice of ½ lemon
Breakfast: 1 poached egg, half cup cooked spinach, half cup sautéed mushrooms, 2 slices grain toast with 2 slices avocado spread onto toast; mug of tea, skim milk, no sugar
½ hour after breakfast: 600ml water
Lunch: salad made with third of a cup cooked wholemeal pasta, third of a cup canned mixed beans, 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes (oil blotted from them), 1 cup lettuce, half grilled chicken breast (cubed), 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ hour after lunch: 500ml water
Snack: 1 skim milk cappuccino; small handful of sunflower seeds and 3 dried apricots halves
½ hour after snack: 300ml water
Dinner: grilled flathead fillet served on half cup brown lentils cooked in fish stock, combined with quarter cup sweetcorn kernels, chopped parsley and steamed broccoli
1 cup mixed berries with half cup low-fat natural yogurt, sweetened with 1 teaspoon honey
Saturday
On waking: 300ml water
Before breakfast: 300ml hot water with juice of ½ lemon
Breakfast: bircher muesli made with half cup rolled oats, half grated apple, Quarter cup apple juice, 1 tablespoon slivered almonds and half cup fat-free natural yoghurt; mug of tea, skim milk, no sugar
½ hour after breakfast 600ml water
Lunch: mixed sushi pack (5 pieces) and 1 cup miso soup
½ hour after lunch: 500ml water
Snack: quarter cup hummus with 2 sticks celery and 1 small carrot
½ hour after snack: 300ml water
Dinner: homemade prawn pizza, made with 1 wholemeal pita bread, 3 tablespoons pasta sauce, chopped capsicum and chopped onion, 5 king prawns, fresh chopped chilli and fresh basil and quarter cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese; 1 cup mixed green salad with dressing
1 large brown pear
Sunday
On waking: 300ml water
Before breakfast: 300ml hot water with juice of ½ lemon
Breakfast: 2 slices fruit toast with 2 tablespoons low-fat ricotta; cup of tea with skimmed milk, no sugar; 1 brown pear
½ hour after breakfast: 600ml water
Lunch: salad made with 1 cup broad beans, 3 slices chopped avocado and 5 black olives, 1 teaspoon olive oil and fresh lemon juice — serve under a piece of grilled tuna
½ hour after lunch 500ml water
Snack: 1 skim cappuccino; 1 piece licorice (17cm strip)
½ hour after snack: 300ml water
Dinner: 2 slices roast chicken (no skin) with quarter cup rice and nut stuffing, half cup green beans, half cup baked pumpkin (no fat) and 1 small baked onion
1 baked apple stuffed with 10 chopped almonds, 2 prunes and 2 dried apricots and 1 teaspoon tahini, serve with 3 tablespoons skimmed milk
Herbal tea
